Common Epicondylitis Questions

What causes epicondylitis?

“Injury to these tendons can result from a sudden violent injury or, more commonly, from repetitive activity in which the tendons are essentially "overloaded." This situation can result from a variety of activities including sports and work, or from a change in one's regular activity. The "overload" of tendons is commonly seen in someone who plays more tennis than usual and then develops pain at the outer aspect of the elbow (thus the common name "tennis elbow"). However, a weekend of hedge clipping, excessive use of a screwdriver or hammer, or performance of other activities requiring constant squeezing or gripping can lead to the problem. A similar condition can develop on the inner or medial side of the elbow (medial epicondylitis). Since this condition is fairly common in golfers on their non-dominant arm, it is also called "golfers elbow”."—Johns Hopkins Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery website:  http://www.hopkinsortho.org/tennis_elbow.html

My doctor prescribed your pain cream medication for epicondylitis. Can I use this epicondylitis pain cream medication it for other painful areas, too, like my knees or my back?

We want to encourage you to first speak with your prescriber about using this epicondylitis pain cream medication for additional painful areas.  Continue to use your specially compounded epicondylitis pain cream medication for the original pain complaint for which it was prescribed, and please call your doctor’s office to ask about applying it to more than the original area.  We also recommend that the epicondylitis pain cream medication not be applied to more than 10% of your body surface area (BSA) unless specifically instructed by your physician.

I have your Transdermal Therapeutics cream for epicondylitis.  Where should I apply the epicondylitis pain cream medication?

Your specially compounded epicondylitis pain cream medication should be applied to the painful area that is affected, which prompted your visit to the doctor's office (or nurse practitioner, PA, or other prescriber).  Please make sure to apply to intact skin (no breaks or incisions) to ensure that you deliver the correct dose of medicine to the painful area.

How do I get a prescription for a Transdermal Therapeutics cream?  

Because this is prescribed topical pain medication cream, it requires a prescription from your doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other medical provider.  After your office visit, the prescription will be faxed here to us, and we will contact you for the information we need to provide your medication as quickly as possible.